In 2004, I mailed a lengthy, question-laden letter to U.S. Olympic figure skater Sasha Cohen. Months later, I received a generic postcard from Sasha, cueing my disappointment — she hadn’t answered a single question from my letter. With Twitter, though, athletes can immediately answer fans’ questions sans stamps and stationery.

Besides immediacy and simplicity, Twitter boasts a competition all in its own. While vying for bragging rights on the court, field, track, etc., athletes vie for bragging rights on Twitter. Namely, athletes vie for Twitter followers, creating competition beyond game day.

Lolo Jones’ clever, candid tweets make her a must-follow. The Olympic hurdler and Des Moines native tweets about her stardom, her single status and her sweet tooth. Despite high stakes and high stress, Jones’ wit prevails in tweet after tweet. Besides witty, she’s relatable, whether you’re a Drake student or an Olympic athlete.

On July 8, Jones tweeted, “You guys are counting down for the start of the Olympic Games, and I’m counting down till the end of them when I can eat ice cream and candy.” While I can’t understand the anxiety associated with Olympic competition, I can understand the anxiety associated with resisting sweets.

Another track star tops my must-follow list. South African sprinter and double-amputee Oscar Pistorius inspires on the track and on Twitter. From memorization-worthy quotes to awe-worthy photos of South African scenery, Pistorius’ tweets offer an instant pick-me-up.